Duterte files COC for reelection

The message, which means, “You’re all hard-headed, I told you, I don’t want to” purportedly coming from Davao City

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

was printed on the shirt of his aide who went to the local Comelec office here to file the mayor’s certificate of candidacy (COC) for reelection.

Christopher Bong Go, the mayor’s executive assistant, said he was instructed by Duterte to file his COC.

“He has been firm from the start, that he is not running. Last Monday, he also made himself very clear,” Go added.

Duterte arrived in Davao City early Thursday after visiting Palawan.

When asked whether there is still a chance for Duterte to change his mind, Go said it is only the mayor who knows what to do next.

“It’s only the mayor who can answer that,” he added.

But the mayor, Go said, wanted to let his supporters know of how grateful he is over their trust and support for him.

He read a text message from Duterte that said: “Thank you, but I have decided to run for mayor of Davao City again.”

On Tuesday, the mayor’s daughter shaved her head and dared her father’s supporters to follow–if indeed they are loyal to his father.

Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio’s stunt elicited various reactions and indeed, many Dabawenyos had their heads shaved.

Even lawyers and members of the Davao City Council went skinhead.
Duterte not filing his COC for President has once again broken many hearts.
Still, many are hoping that the mayor will still change his mind.

“It is not yet really over. There is still tomorrow,” a Duterte supporter told The Manila Times. “He can even file as many COCs as he can, but in the end, what he finally files would be the one that matters. In this case, we are still hoping he listens to us.”

On Facebook, artist Marie Contaoi Cayas said supporters must respect Duterte’s decision.
“And it is final. Our Mayor Duterte will run for mayor of Davao,” she said. “Let us respect his decision. We will still support him all the way. God bless the Philippines.”

Melchor Quitain, the city administrator, said even with the filing of the COC for mayor, Duterte can still join the presidential race.

“The law allows certain acts to be taken even if you have filed already a certificate of candidacy for a certain position,” he explained.

But he was not very optimistic.

“Nothing is final as of the moment, but as far as I know the mayor, once he said no, then it’s a no. I do not know him as someone who changes his mind,” Quitain said.

In Manila, Duterte’s supporters led by former Butuan City Rep. Charito Plaza assembled outside the Comelec main offices at the Palacio del Governador.

“We are waiting for Mayor Duterte. He is filing his COC today,” she said.

Plaza added that Duterte has not formed his own senatorial line-up but would instead be adopting candidates from the Visayas and Mindanao and those with good record like former senator Panfilo Lacson.

3 Comments

Oh how fitting it should be if the tandem of Ping Lacson and Duterte run for president and vp respectively for 2016. Duterte is very close to Mar Roxas and will never run against Mar, thus a vp slot he should have aspired with Ping Lacson as president who is despised by the Balay group of Mar. Fearing a Lacson run for the presidency, PNoy summoned Drillon and Mar to convince Lacson to run as guest senatorial candidate of LP to keep Lacson in check.

A Duterte as DILG chief or as presidential adviser on crime and anti-smuggling in a Lacson presidency will clean up the mess in our society and the bureau of customs.
All the other aspirants save for the humble Leni Robredo are all fake, best consigned to Timbaktu.

Now it is final Mayor Duterte will not run for President,Sen.Alan Peter should stepup from Vice President to President and team up with Sen.Trillanes.If not it will be another six years of nothing in our country.Poor will get poorer and rich will get richer.You got the silent majority Sen.Cayetano you got to do it give the youth a chance to have a better life.

This latest stunt of the daughter of Duterte highlights what is wrong with us. What was she thinking when she shaved her top? Pa-showbiz effect worthy of a Facebook selfie? The Mayor himself quite emphatically made his position known that he is not running and yet here we are acting like monkeys inside a zoo. Besides, even if Duterte changes his mind, what does it say about the man? Indecisive? Unsure of himself? Hardly character traits of a leader. Whether he likes it or not, Duterte is turning off a lot of the thinking masa.